Safety-envelop.



(No Model) Patented Ian. I6 1900, m. L. HINCHMAN.

SAFETY ENVELOP.

(Application filed Apr. 14, 1899.;

W abhor-"m THE NORRIS PETERS co. PHOTO-HTML WASHINGTON. o c.

NrrED STATES 'ATENT Fries.

MORTIMER LIVINGSTON HINOHMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SAFETY-ENVELO SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 641,291, dated January 16, 1900. Application filed April 14, 1899. fierial No. 713,045. (No model.)

T at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MORTIMER LIVINGSTON open of the envelop along certain lines, thus avoiding its mutilation to any great extent. The invention therefore consists, first, in an envelop or wrapper comprising a body portion and a sealing-flap, the former having an extended portion separated from the main body on each side of a central portion and provided with tearing-lines, preferably formed by perforations or indentations, the said sealing-flap being provided with a gummed portion adapted to overlap the line of separation between the body portion and its extension and having tearing-lines extending from an ungummed portion to the upper corners of the envelop, which said lines are adapted to register with the said lines of separation.

Second, the invention consists in an envelop or wrapper having its sealing-flap provided with an ungum med portion and a tearing-line, preferably formed by perforations or indentations, leading from the said ungummed portion and registering when sealed with the edge of the overlapped portion.

Further, the invention consists in certain other novel features of constructlon, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a view in rear elevation of an envelop constructed in accordance with my invention, the sealingflap of the same being shown extended; Fig.

2, a rear elevation of the same with the sealing-flap secured down in position; Fig. 3, a view in rear elevation showing a modification in the form of envelop in which the extended or detecting portion is shown omitted; Fig. 4, a view in rear elevation showing a modification of the invention in the form of a reinforced fiap, and Fig. 5 a view showing the invention applied to a rolled newspaper.

In the drawings,A indicates the body proper of the envelop, B the sealing-flap, and O a foldable ungummed extension of the flap, which when the main flap B is sealed will furnish a hold for tearing open the envelop along the lines I) 1), formed, preferably, of perforations or indentations and extending from the extension-flap O to the upper corners of the envelop. These tearing-lines register with the edge a of the body portion when the flap is sealed down.

The body portion A is preferably formed with the bottom fold a overlapping the end folds a in the usual manner, while the flap B is of such shape and size as to have the portion b to overlap the lap of a on a and have its edge follow along theline of such lap. The portions 1) not only form a protection to the laps of the body of the envelop, but, being gummed over their entire surfaces or along the line of perforations or indentations, as well as at the edges,make a very efiectual sealing of the flap B.

For the purpose of providing means for the detection of any unlawful tampering with the envelop the bottom fold a is formed with an extended portion a of substantially the form and size of that part of the flap B inclosed by the lines I) and the line of its folding, which extension lies, preferably, separated from the end folds a and registers with the said inclosed portion of the flap, so that the lines I? lie over the lines a of separation. These lines of separation are designed to prevent any additional resistance to the tearing open of the envelop along the lines I), coming as a result of the addition of this detector portion, and also to prevent the gum from clogging the perforations of the tearing-line. The form of this extension or detector portion leaves a central part a at which the lines of separation terminate and merge into tearing-lines a a having a general upward direction and extendin g through to the top edge of this portion. These lines are preferably formed by perforations or indentations and are connected with the separating edge of this portion by slits a a", which insure the tearing thereof along said lines should the flap be opened. lwo lines of perforations or indentations a a are formed in this detector portion, so as to connect the upper ends of each of said lines a a and the middle portions of said separating edge in such a way as to make triangular-shaped forms or patterns of the paper bounded by its edges and these lines and intended as fdetectors, not alone to indicate by the presence of tearing along the lines of perforations or indentations that the envelop had been opened, but of opening by steaming or in any manner which will not cause tearing, as the triangular pieces of paper are sensitive to moisture by reason of being surrounded by perforations or indentations, and will act as indicators or detectors of any irregular transmission or handling when the envelop is finally placed in the hands of the person to whom it is addressed. The indicators or detectors, so called, will form into irregular folds or wrinkles when the flap of the envelop or wrapper has been opened surreptitiouslyby the action of steam, chemicals, or other agencies and has been resealed.

The extended portion 0 of the sealing-flap, as before stated, is adapted to be folded under when the flap B is being sealed down. For the purpose of so securing it it may be gummed on its inner face and when thus folded make a reinforcement for the flap and present an ungummed face to the portion a of the envelop. The flap B is secured down on ,the detector port-ions, which are either gummed for this purpose or else the flap is properly gummed to secure the folded-over extension 0, as well as the said deteotorportions. By this peculiar method of sealing the flap B is not secured to the envelop-body A at the center, but a sufficient portion is left loose to permit the finger-nail or a portion of the finger to slip under the same to grasp it to open the envelop. As the said flap Bis pulled back it tears along the lines I) b, and the body portion 0. secured thereto, tears along the lines of perforations or indentations a a which communicate with the slits a" aflthat start the tearing action. When the flap B is fully opened along its tearing-line, the whole upper portion of the envelop-body has been torn away and remains sticking to the severed portion of the flap, thus indicating that the envelop has been opened, and preventing it from being closed, because there is no portion of the flap to which the body portion can be secured. The perforations are placed sufliciently near together to cause them when pulled upon to separate, and thus indicate that the envelop has been tampered with or opened.

The reinforcing of the portion of the flap B inclosed by the tearing-lines Z) b may be extended to the entire surface of such portion, as shown in the preferred form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 4., by making the extension-flap O of such size and form as to correspond with such portion when folded over upon it. In this form the gum is preferably applied to the detector portion of the body of the envelop.

It will be seen from the foregoing that by the employment of my improved envelop or wrapper letters can be readily torn open without destroying the envelop as a closure, while correspondence or other communications are fully protected against any unlawful examination while en route through the mail, as any attempt to open the envelop or wrapper will so tear or injure or change the appearance of the same that any unauthorized or unlawful opening thereof or theft therefrom may be easily discovered when the letter reaches its destination.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An envelop or wrapper comprisinga body portion, and a sealing-flap provided with a centrally ungummed portion, and having tearing-lines formed therein and terminating at said ungummed portion, adapted to register with the edge of the body portion, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. An envelop or wrapper comprising a body portion having a central upper extension thereof, and a sealing-flap, having an ungummed portion, adapted to cover said extension, and having tearing-lines extending from said ungummed portion and on each side thereof to the upper corners of the envelop and adapted to register with the upper edge of said body portion, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. An envelop comprising a body portion and a sealing-flap, the former being provided with an extension having a central portion, and side portions separated from the body as far as said central portion and adapted to be torn from said central portion along upwardly-extending tearing-lines, the said sealing-flap having an ungummed portion to cover said central portion, and a tearing-line on each side thereof adapted to register with the line formed by the separation of the said extension fl'Olll the body portion, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

4. An envelop having its bottom fold provided with a portion adapted to extend beyond the end folds, lie separated from said end folds, and provided with upwardly-e10 tending tearing-lines connecting the line of separation between it and the end folds, and a sealing-flap adapted to be secured down over the lap of the bottom fold on the end folds, and provided with an ungummed por* tion and a tearing-line on each side of said ungummed portion, extending therefrom to the upper corners of the envelop and registering with the said line of separation between the body portion and its extension, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

5. An envelop or wrapper comprisingabody portion and a sealing-flap, the former having a portion thereof adapted to be overlapped by, and torn away with, the sealing-flap, the

said sealing-flap having tearing-lines inclos- In testimony whereof I affix my signature ing a portion adapted to correspond and regin presence of two witnesses.

ister with the said detachable ortion and 1 having a foldable extension substa fntially con- MORTIMER LIVINGSTON HIMHMAN' 5 forming to and registering with the said por- Witnesses:

tion of the flap inclosed by the tearing-lines, B. OHAUNOEY NORTHRUP, as and for the purpose set forth. OLIVER EDWARDS. 

